Then, through the silence overhead,

An angel with a trumpet said,
"For evermore, for evermore,

The reign of violence is o'er!"
And, like an instrument that flings
Its music on another's strings,
The trumpet of the angel cast

Upon the heavenly lyre its blast,

And on from sphere to sphere the words Re-echoed down the burning chords,

"For evermore, for evermore,

The reign of violence is o'er!"

THE BRIDGE.

I STOOD On the bridge at midnight,
As the clocks were striking the hour,

And the moon rose o'er the city,

Behind the dark church-tower.

I saw her bright reflection

In the waters under me,

Like a golden goblet falling
And sinking into the sea.

And far in the hazy distance

Of that lovely night in June, The blaze of the flaming furnace Gleamed redder than the moon.

Among the long, black rafters

The wavering shadows lay,

And the current that came from the ocean Seemed to lift and bear them away;

As, sweeping and eddying through them, Rose the belated tide,

And, streaming into the moonlight,

The sea-weed floated wide.

And like those waters rushing
Among the wooden piers,

A flood of thoughts came o'er me
That filled my eyes with tears.

How often, O how often,

In the days that had gone by,

I had stood on that bridge at midnight And gazed on that wave and sky!

How often, O how often,

I had wished that the ebbing tide Would bear me away on its bosom O'er the ocean wild and wide!

For my heart was hot and restless,
And my life was full of care,

And the burden laid

upon me

Seemed greater than I could bear.

But now it has fallen from me,

It is buried in the sea;

And only the sorrow of others

Throws its shadow over me.

Yet whenever I cross the river

On its bridge with wooden piers, Like the odor of brine from the ocean Comes the thought of other years.

And I think how many thousands
Of care-encumbered men,

Each bearing his burden of sorrow,

Have crossed the bridge since then.

I see the long procession

Still passing to and fro,

The young heart hot and restless,.

And the old subdued and slow!

.

And for ever and for ever,

As long as the river flows,

As long as the heart has passions,
As long as life has woes;